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Physical Characteristics

The Savannah house cat is an unusual, exotic breed that looks much like its ancestor, the African Serval, but is smaller in size. One of the features that make this breed so unique is its strikingly bold and spotted coat, which can vary from brown, tan or gold with black or dark brown spots; silver with black or dark grey spots; black with black spots; and black tipped silver with black spots.

The Savannah’s fur can also have the classic marble pattern, snow coloration, and other diluted colors. Their overall look depends greatly on generational breeding and genetic dilution.

The Savannah cat has a lean muscular build, a short, thick tail, a long neck and long legs. These features give the feline a tall appearance, but it is actually medium sized and tends to weigh less than other similarly sized domestic cats. One of its other most striking features is the shape of its hooded eyes, which are flat on top, and its large, tall ears that are situated right at the top of its head.

Personality and Temperament

This very active cat is curious, assertive, and an adventure-seeker. It requires a lot of interaction and attention on a daily basis, either with its companion human(s) or other companion cats. This cat is also very loyal, and will develop a strong bond with people.

The Savannah is not a lap cat, but will show affection to its human family by following them around the house and giving them frequent head butts. They love to play in water, and are easily trained to walk on a leash with a harness. They also love to play active games such as fetch. Because of these traits, Savannahs are thought to have "dog-like" personalities.

Health and Care

Despite their exotic appearance, Savannah cats are one of the healthiest breeds and have no known established health problems. Due to their direct lineage from Servals, care should be taken to establish whether they have inherited the Serval’s tendency to have a proportionately small liver for their body size.

Care should also be taken by veterinarians to not administer ketamine during medical treatment, as ketamine is metabolized through the liver and has been known to cause potentially serious health complications for the Savannah cat breed.

Special attention should be given to the Savannah's diet to guard against a deficiency of taurine, a particularly dangerous condition resulting from lack of the amino acid taurine, which is found in meats and fish and to which the Savannah is believed to be especially prone. Because of this, it is recommended the Savannah cat be provided with a high protein, low or no grain diet (especially corn). High concentrations of taurine can be found in meat, poultry (which can be partially boiled), fish, and premium cat foods.

Overall, Savannah house cats are healthy, hardy and athletic, and are considered to be one of the healthiest of the domestic feline breeds.

History and Background

The first documented Savannah cat was born in April 1986, when Bengal cat breeder Judee Frank paired her eight-pound female Siamese Sealpoint cat with Ernie, a thirty-pound male Serval cat belonging to Suzy Wood. Neither one expected the unusually beautiful and graceful offspring that resulted, which Suzy took home with her. The kitten was christened "Savannah," after the African grasslands that are home to the Serval’s ancestors. This kitten became the first F1 (first generation hybrid cross).

With Savannah, Suzy was able to breed the first known F2 (second generation) Savannah cat. The feline’s unique physical traits and dynamic personality attracted the attention and interest of Patrick Kelly, who then obtained one of the kittens. Patrick Kelly wanted to produce a new breed of domestic cat, and enlisted the aid of cat breeder Joyce Sroufe to assist him.

By painstakingly researching the steps needed to create a feline breed that would be recognized by the national cat registry, Patrick Kelly and Joyce Sroufe were able to successfully produce a new feline breed. Together, Kelly and Sroufe are credited with writing and presenting the Savannah cat breed standard to The International Cat Association (TICA) in 1996. Kelly and Sroufe were successful, and as of 2001, the Savannah cat has been recognized as a New Advanced Breed Class.

Comments 19

my vet prescribe 7.5 mgs daily for my 7 year old savannah who is recovering from an infection and stopped eating. he weighs about8lbs due to his weight loss. Is this dose too high? I have been halving the pills because it seemed like too much and the side effects I read about scare me if given too much. She gave me 14 pills to be given daily and I am reading that it is supposed to be administered every 72 hours. I am confused.

Please consider my story before you buy a Savannah cat. It started in 2007 when I found this breed online and immediately fell in love with it and after doing research I bought from a breeder in Arizona. Long story short my little furry buddy was diagnosed at 9 months with having a tumor surrounding his heart and was not going to make it very much longer. I went ahead and did the surgery on to have a very sad and ugly battle with complications and continued growth on the tumor. We had to put our little buddy down. The breeder actually tried to blame the tumor on me then finally offered me a free cat once she saw how upset i was. One year later and after much healing financially and mentally we decided not to take that breeder up on the free cat and chose a different breeder. Our cat arrived and was healthy (so we thought) and 4 years down the road he started having bad diarrhea which turned into no eating which turned into a feeding tube which turned into watching him go blind and not be able to walk. Turned out he had FIP which mutates from the Corona virus which typically comes from other cats(or catteries).In the end we had to put him down and he was like our child baby stroller and all. I started doing a little research on Hybrid cats including talking to a co worker that had 3 Bengals. Two of them died of liver and kidney disease within 5 years. Is it that we are just that unlucky? While after doing some research we understand a little better why this probably happened to us and our pour cat. When these Hybrid cats die, the owners typically would notify the breeders and the breeders are not reporting this to anyone because there is no benefit to them to do so and it would lower the value of the breed.

I'm not saying you cannot get a health Hybrid cat or Savannah cat, I'm just saying the odds seem to be stacked against you and you'll have a hard time getting transparency from a breeder that wants you money.

I submitted my comment before it was ready. Please do your homework on Hybrid Cats before you buy and if you choose to go ahead please talk to the breeders past customers especially the past customers that have cats more than 8 years old. They are probably not going to give you the names of people like me that have had horrible issues, but at least you can see if they have bred cats that have lived or are living a long healthy life.

Well I had purchased a Savannah from a breeder in California in 2006. This past march I had to have him put tip sleep because he developed tumors in his groin area and the tip of his tail. It started with a limp in his hind legs and the doctors kept saying it was an infection and just prescribe antibiotics, They did xrays and saw nothing. About a week after the vet visit I noticed the swelling in his groin and then the tip of the tai. He was eating like crazy but losing weight to the point where he could hardly walk. It broke my heart that this beautiful majestic boy could get so sick so suddenly and be gone before his 8th birthday. I had no idea that the Savannah breed was so fragile. Every doctor I spoke to told me that they have no known health issues but I did some research and found out that they can have problems with their liver and kidneys as their liver is smaller than the average domestic short hair. These breeders should be up front about the possible health issues of these animals and think twice before continuing to breed them if they are an unhealthy breed. It's not fair to these beautiful cats or the people who have purchased them hoping to give them a nice home. When are people going to stop thinking about how much money they are going to make on breeding these animals???? I am furious and heart broken and will never buy from a breeder again. There are so many cats in shelters that need a good home and that is what I did. I went and adopted 2 cats from my local shelter and they are beautiful and very grateful to have a forever home

So sorry for your losses. It is so hard to loose one of your babies, and that, really, is what they become.
You know, I have rescued cats forever, (I am 70 years old) and it seems like the kittens that are born of mothers that are often homeless, or are really just "a cat", are the most healthy little guys!
There are so many "just cats" looking for a home. They may not have a sheet of paper that comes with them that says they are such and such, but they make wonderful companions. It's kind of like adopting children....they don't need to be all one nationality for us to love them, and neither do cats. I do hope you will check out your local shelter....you will know when you see the right one. They ALWAYS pick you......you will know. :0)

Wow, that is terrible......I purchased a beautiful Savannah from Bundas Cattery 2003.....he has fortunately enjoyed good health. My breeder has been supportive throughout his life and continues to be supportive for any related questions...... I purchased a Chausie fro Paula Roberts in 2006 she too is a supportive breeder...... Please know there are some fantastic breeders out there too..... I also have a Bengal/Siamese and two Bengal/Abyssinian crosses two of the three breeders I remain in contact with too. Best wishes if you ever get another Savannah.....

I saw a picture of a cat and it said "THE TOP TEN REASON TO ADOPT A CAT" 1. YOU SAVE A LIFE

DO YOU NEED ANOTHER REASON?

There a so many cat and kittens out there that are in need of a forever home, why not make your home , their home?
I am 62 yrs now, and over the years I have probably saved 50 or more cats and kittens. I have kept some, but found homes for most of the others. I am 100% in favor of the T-N-R programs (trap-neuter-released). I figure I'm a Heinz 57 human, why not have Heinz 57 cats. I love the way Savannah cats look. and Russian Blues, etc., but to see the eyes of a cute little stray that needs a home, I just can't imagine saying "NO", they love you just as much. Also from what I understand, purebred dogs and cats have many more health problems than Mutts and Domestics. Kathleen

So glad to see other animal suckers like me on this site. I, too, have adopted, rescued and loved everything from a pony to countless cats, dogs, rabbits, gerbils, horses - the list goes on. I am a sucker for the homeless critters of this world. Right now we have eleven cats in our family - all were rescued, four were feral kittens and needed domestication, two are from a litter we bottle raised. T-N-R is a life saver for these lovable little creatures.
My top pet peeve is the humans who think that God needs his work adjusted to suit them. I am talking about the people who have bred animals to be different than the natural born beauties they were. And the ones who use cruel methods to adjust a horses natural gaits. Sorry, I will get down off my soapbox. I am 73 and lived a life full of the special friends I have found along the way.

Horsekeepertwo we could be twins! Am 60, grew up on a farm and had all kinds of special, precious ones. From the age of 7, I have been rescuing, working with educating people about their responsibilities if they are thinking of adopting and so many things concerning the respect and dignity all creatures deserve. When I hear someone say they bought a pet online I just cringe. In my experience, many of those online pets do have terrible health problems like so many here have stated. My own Neice did it against my best advice buying a 1,200.00 French Bulldog. She is allergic to everything including every vaccination including rabies vac. They have to IV her evreytime with antihistamines and whatever else they need to use for anaphylatic shock. Skin problems, itching-poor puppy she is about 8 now. The same with serious cat health problems like you all have experienced. I am so very sorry for your losses. One can only know what a breeder tells us. It is so worthwhile to do tons of research and contact your Vet or another one who is very familiar with the feline breed you want to love in their forever home with you. I have lost many through the years who have been, every one a rescue, stray, or abused and it hurts terribly when they have to leave us. We had a cat Chester who lived until he was 22 yrs. old. We found him in a ditch as a tiny kitten. He spent his entire life in the house as all of my 4 cats we have now do. The loss of a beloved one who was such a big part of the family for so long hurts the heart terribly. It has been over 20yrs. now and I can say that I don't think I will ever 'get over' the loss of that beautiful boy. Or any of the beloveds we have had for many years from my horses to the dogs, cats, pet chicken, and so on. To some, all of that may sound crazy. But to those of us who do cherish and love our charges, you know what I mean and know how it feels..

I would never purchase a pet - all of ours except the first we got free from a farmer have been rescued strays. We live on an acreage and they turn up all the time. Some of the tamest ones we find homes for, the more skittish ones become part of our indoor cat family (and some are now snuggle-bugs), and the feral ones we T-N-R (thanks in part to our wonderful vet).

Our first cat also lived to be 22, and we currently have a number of them that are between 18 and 20 1/2, although we did lose a few that were all tamer offspring of a feral mother quite young from heart failure.

I would certainly recommend researching the health of any breed you are interested in, especially if you are going to purchase it and even if you adopt it. Purchasing ANY cat means that tons cats in shelters are put down, and if they aren't a healthy breed, they shouldn't be bred by anyone, even what are otherwise responsible breeders.

But I'm not sure that I would reject a cat at a shelter because of potential future health issues, although if I would decide to adopt it, it would be much better going in with eyes wide open. I just don't think I could leave them sitting in a shelter for years or being put to sleep if they are healthy at the time.

I am so sorry to hear about your sad experiences with this breed of cat. And I just want to say thank you for taking the time to write about it, as I myself would consider buying this breed but will now think twice thanks to you.

The wiki page has a discussion about nutrition and vet care for hybrids. The long and short of it is -- we don;t know. Reports say that the liver is small, but we don;t quite understand the consequences. So we feed them cat diets and we expect them to do well. Some recommend no grains, others recommend raw, yet others recommend regular food. And the reality is that between the lesser ability to process fats (Serval-inherited small liver) and the effect of high-protein diets on cat kidneys -- you end up with a cat that cannot be fed without some significant chronic damage. Also keep in mind that Servals live in Africa (different environment, different diet) -- it becomes clear that such hybrids can be mal-adapted.

In addition, read -- again, on the wiki page on Savannah -- how difficult it is to get that first generation, and how periodic re-introduction of Serval parentage is necessary for the maintenance of the breed. *Servals live in the African savanna*, not on the green acres of some cattery in the US. What conditions do these servals have, and frankly, how safe is it really to introduce a cat and a serval for cross breeding?

Finally, the standard is extremely narrow in terms of marking -- even though servals come in many of the disallowed markings. That means a lot of kittens need to be culled until one gets that perfect pair of Savannah kittens.

Aside from the wow factor, these cats are not even allowed in many states, because they qualify as exotic breeds. Why do we need this new breed? Many cats already in shelter share the same characteristics of curiosity, athleticism and fidelity. You just have to look for the right cat, then socialize.

Hi,I would like to know what your story was when you were adopting the cat and the name of the person. I am currently adopting a Savannah cat and its from Arizona as well. I would just want to confirm if the kitten i'm going to get is possibly from the same person or not.

Well I had purchased a Savannah from a breeder in California in 2006. This past march I had to have him put tip sleep because he developed tumors in his groin area and the tip of his tail. It started with a limp in his hind legs and the doctors kept saying it was an infection and just prescribe antibiotics, They did xrays and saw nothing. About a week after the vet visit I noticed the swelling in his groin and then the tip of the tai. He was eating like crazy but losing weight to the point where he could hardly walk. It broke my heart that this beautiful majestic boy could get so sick so suddenly and be gone before his 8th birthday. I had no idea that the Savannah breed was so fragile. Every doctor I spoke to told me that they have no known health issues but I did some research and found out that they can have problems with their liver and kidneys as their liver is smaller than the average domestic short hair. These breeders should be up front about the possible health issues of these animals and think twice before continuing to breed them if they are an unhealthy breed. It's not fair to these beautiful cats or the people who have purchased them hoping to give them a nice home. When are people going to stop thinking about how much money they are going to make on breeding these animals???? I am furious and heart broken and will never buy from a breeder again. There are so many cats in shelters that need a good home and that is what I did. I went and adopted 2 cats from my local shelter and they are beautiful and very grateful to have a forever home

One cannot predict health of anyone. The Savannah is not really a purebred since it is a mix of two species of cat wild/domestic. My Savannah loves to be outside hunting ....he has captured rodents, a chipmunk and a wild turkey in the past month.....one has to consider the animals wild heritage ..... He gets visibly depressed if confined to the house. He is very loving ...he rubs and chirps.....
I had 6 cats .... In August a rescue who only stayed indoors..age at least 8 got very I'll and a decision to euthanize was made.....my 7 yr old Ocicat indoor cat too, also a rescue became ill in Sept.....vet said illness was unrelated .....the vet gave hope of recovery and after $800+ she passed away....
I am not against rescue. It is tough when one is committing to 20 years + of relationship with an animal companion. When one buys from a breeder there are certain expectations of characteristics. Good breeders are conscientious and supportive. One only has to consider ones human friends ....cancers, heart disease etc are ever so prevalent and on the rise due to environmental conditions.
I love cats period! But if you do your research and select a reputable breeder hopefully you and your companion will enjoy many years together.

We rescued a scrawny black kitten from living in the woods near our home on 4/2012. Thinking the kitten was a female and unfixed we immediately took *her* to a vet for a full exam and fixing if appropriate. Much to our surprise *She* was a *He* and had been altered already. However, it was in the vet's estimation more of a mutilation than surgery. Plus the vet advised us that the kitten seemed to be at least part Savannah. We brought the kitten home with all his shots, bathed, and acclimated him to living with us and two other cats (both rescues). We named him Kenzie for a hero in a science fiction story. He soon became an integral part of our family. He is big (about 18-20 lbs), long muscular legs (rear legs slightly longer and more muscular) heavy black coat with brown spots in certain light. He prefers to be outside at night and early in the morning we find him at the door waiting to come inside. He doesn't go far -just out to the front bushes and then sleeps on the bench in front of the door - but outside. He doesn't meow...more like a chirp. Follows us around the house all day - not a cuddler or a lap cat but very mellow and sweet. His favorite spot is on a side table in the living room where he can supervise our other two cats. His favorite playmate is our fixed female Tortie Siamese mix. He fiercely protects her and grooms her daily.